The Public Lands Survey System
A Dependable Network for Land Ownership
“This Land is Your Land” PLSS Forum - April 18, 2019 Darlington, Wisconsin
BRYAN MEYER – LA CROSSE COUNTY SURVEYOR Wisconsin County Surveyors Association Audio books = 150-160 words per minute
Bryan = Clocked at 192 words per minute (gusts in excess of 200 words per minute) Name that National Monument MOUNT RUSHMORE
The sculpture features the 60-foot heads of Presidents George Washington (1732–1799), Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919), and Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865). The four presidents were chosen, respectively, to represent the birth, the growth, the development, and the preservation of the United States. Land surveyors have a different name for that monument National Surveyor’s Monument
Lincoln = Surveyor
Jefferson = Surveyor
Washington = Surveyor For your convenience, many of your questions and comments have already been incorporated into this presentation. “Dude, what exactly qualifies you to talk about the Public Land Survey System?” H. A. Sime and Associates Tomah, Wisconsin
Historian Mathematician Cartographer Lumberjack Archeologist Interpreter Writer Thinker Moderator
H. A. Sime and Associates Tomah, Wisconsin
28½ years
PRIVATE PRACTICE SURVEY WORK
The thing about my job that I am most passionate about is remonumentation of the Public Land Survey System “So, just what is the Public Land Survey System?” PUBLIC LAND SURVEY SYSTEM
The Land Ordinance of 1785 was adopted by the United States Congress of the Confederation on May 20, 1785.
Set up a standardized system whereby settlers could purchase title to farmland in the undeveloped west
Congress at the time did not have the power to raise revenue by direct taxation, so land sales provided an important revenue stream. Championed by Thomas Jefferson
Yeoman farmers
160 acres Public Lands Survey System (PLSS) PLSS AT A GLANCE
Townships = Roughly gridded 6 by 6 mile squares.
Sections = Roughly gridded 1 by 1 mile squares. The PLSS is the fundamental way that almost all of the state’s land was first systematically marked, divided, and described, and remains the basis for that real property today. The Public Land Survey System (PLSS) has a profound affect on how society operates in Wisconsin; however, it is such an underlying factor that most of us are unaware of it on a daily basis. Public Land Survey System (PLSS)
Wisconsin’s first man-made INFRASTRUCTURE in·fra·struc·ture the basic physical and organizational structures and facilities (e.g. buildings, roads, power supplies) needed for the operation of a society or enterprise.
Infrastructure that protects land ownership rights Markers set in the ground as reference points and guides In Wisconsin, the Original Government Survey took place between 1832 and 1866 Base line and Principal Meridian IOWA
GRANT
LAFAYETTE
Initial point “Every section corner monument in the state; the boundaries of each county, city, village, township, farm and lot; the position of roads, lakes and streams, all were surveyed and mapped from this Point of Beginning.” PLSS
Townships across Wisconsin
6 mile by 6 mile squares PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN PRINCIPAL TH
4 BASE LINE Each of those 6 mile by 6 mile Townships are then divided into 1 mile by 1 mile squares known as Sections.
Corners established by the PLSS
A corner marker set every half mile on the exterior of every Section. “School Section”
Land Ordinance of 1785
The ordinance was also significant for establishing a mechanism for funding public education. Section 16 in each township was reserved for the maintenance of public schools.
"There shall be reserved the Lot No. 16, of every township, for the maintenance of public schools within said township." Wisconsin’s first man-made infrastructure
Markers set basically every half mile across the entire state which serve as reference marks for land ownership. Corners established by the PLSS
SECTION CORNERS AND QUARTER CORNERS = SECTION CORNER = QUARTER CORNER
North2 ¼ = SECTION CORNER = QUARTER CORNER Original Government Notes
• Measurements • Corner established (wood posts typ.) • Bearing trees • Terrain • Assessed timber and soils Original Corners of the PLSS
Wood posts (most cases)
Bearing trees “Wait”
“Wood posts?”
“Trees?” Marking the Corners
Wood posts were typically set for the corners
Bearing trees or witness trees “Hey Bryan, do you have any examples of the equipment or wood posts from the PLSS?” If you own land in Wisconsin, these corner monuments effect you and your property ownership rights! “If these corner locations are so important, shouldn’t we be taking steps to recover them and get them back in the ground?” In order to protect landowner rights, these corners are absolutely necessary! “Sounds tricky, how do you find or re-establish those corner locations?” Look at the evidence
Original Government Survey Evidence
Subsequent survey work done after the OGS
Fence corners and fence lines
Witness testimony
MONROE COUNTY
12.86 x 66 = 848.76’
40 x 66 = 2640’ 19 x 0.66’ = 12.54’ 54 x 0.66’ = 35.64’
47.00 x 66 = 3102’
80 x 66’ = 5280’ 14 x 0.66’ = 9.24’
12 x 0.66’ = 7.92’
Land E of swamp Same as East mile – rest of mile Alder, Tamarack, Maple and Aspen Swamp
Steve Waak Washburn County Steve Waak Washburn County Steve Waak Washburn County
And when we find evidence of the Original Government corner, surveyor’s reactions go something like this…. Time and the elements took their toll on the initial system.
Over the years, the vast majority of PLSS evidence was “What if the original government survey evidence is gone?”